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Johnson had been due to make the first official visit to the Russian capital by a British Foreign Secretary in more than five years but he pulled out, saying: “We deplore Russia’s continued defence of the Assad regime.”

The Russian Embassy in London asked if Johnson’s announcement was “theatrics for lack of argument”.

Johnson said US secretary of state Rex Tillerson will still visit Moscow to deliver a “clear, co-ordinated” message.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon expressed doubt over the effectiveness of US air strikes and called for greater efforts to broker peace.